Field tiller



March 2, 1954 .1. M. MRKEL FIELD TILLER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. e, 195o ../of/A/M.

Clttorneg ,w` i F o N o o WIG `March 2, l 954 Filed Dec. 6, 1950 Patented Mar. 2, `1954:

FIELD TILLER John M. Markel, Rockford, Ill., assignor to J. I. Case Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 6, 1950, Serial No. 199,500

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction and operation of eld cultivators of the type having a plurality of cultivator rigs mounted adjacent one another on the frame of the machine and in such a manner that a strip of ground the width of the machine may be cultivated by means of earth working tools mounted on the cultivator rigs.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the operation and construction of devices of this class.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pressure operated means operable from a tractor or other suitable propelling means for moving the earth-working tools of an implement that is trailingly connected to the tractor from an operative to a transport position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanical latch for holding the earth- Working tools in transport position for permitting the removal of the pressure operated means for use on other applications about the farm.

Still a further object is to provide mechanism whereby the pressure operated means can be mounted on the implement when the implement is latched in a raised position regardless of whether the pressure operated means is fully extended, partially extended, or fully retracted.

Another object is to provide a mechanical latch having releasable means for raising the same when the force exerted thereupon reaches a predetermined value.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a field tiIle-r embodying the present invention, with parts removed, taken from in front and toward the right side of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a right-side sectional elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. i showingv the cultivator rigs raised and locked in transport position.

Fig. 3 is a right-side sectional elevation of certain details shown in Fig. 2 showing the latch mechanism in an unlatched condition.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3` showing the safety feature of the latch mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the field cultivator constructionchosen to illustrate the principles of the present invention comprises' a transversely disposed rectangular frame t0, a draft means It which vezrztendsforwardly ci the frameV In', cultivator rigs I2 which are movably mounted on the frame I0, a pressure operated means I3 for raising and lowering the rigs I2, and a latch means Mier locking or suspending the rigs l2 in a tran-sport or non-working position for permitting removal of the pressure operated means I3.

The rectangular frame I0 comprises front and rear transverse angle members I5 and I6 which are secured together in spaced relationshipfby longitudinal end angle members Il and intermediate longitudinal angle members I8. The frame I0 is normally positioned in a forwardly and downwardly inclined position and movably supported in this position by means ofv transport wheels I9 and 20, the wheels |19 and 20 being rotatably supported with respect to the frame I0 by pairs of angular shaped wheel. hangers or brackets 22 and 23 respectively.

A suitable draft means II extends forwardly from the frame I0 and comprises a pair of. for` wardly extending members 24 and 25 suitably secured rearwardly to the members I5 and I6 of the frame I0 and a bifurcated member 2.6 secured to the members 24 and 25 by means of bolts or other suitable means 2'I and 28. The bifurcated member 26 has the usual connection 29v adjacent the forward end thereof for attachment with a tractor or other suitable propelling means forl trailingly positioning the implement behind the tractor. A pair of members 3I, which are connected adjacent their rear end to the angle member t5 near the lateral ends thereof, converge forwardly, and are secured adjacent their forward ends by means of the bolt 28 for bracing the member 26 and the members 24 and 25.

The cultivator rigs I2 are pivotally mounted on the frame I@ and comprises a plurality of short rigs 32, a plurality of intermediate rigs 33, and a plurality of long rigs 34. The rigs 32, 33 andl 3-4 comprise drawbars 35,y 36 Vand 31 respectively which are held in spaced relation adjacent their forward ends. The rear ends of the drawbars converge andv substantially vertical tool standards 4 I, 42 and 43 respectively are connected thereto'. Cultivator shovels or tools, in the form of spring teeth 44 in the present instance, are secured to the ends of the tool standards 4I, 42 and 43 by means of tool clamps 45 of any well known or suitable construction and are positioned in earth, engaging relationship with respect to` the.` ground. The. drawbars 35, 36 and 3l all extend to the same width, as well known: in the art, which is desirable. for increasing the. torsional rigidity' of the rigs and for the. ready connection of the rigs. tothe frame. The rigs are connected to brackets 41 which are connected te the angle member I5 of the frame I0. The brackets are mounted in pairs in equally spaced relation along the member I6 and the drawbars 35, 36 and 31 are pivotally connected between a pair of the brackets 41 by transverse bolts or the like 48.

The cultivator rigs are raised or lowered by means of the pressure operated lifting means I3 carried by the frame Iii and operative from the operators station on the tractor. From the rear of the frame It extends a plurality of spaced brackets 45 for rotatably supporting a rock shaft 50 in parallel relationship with respect to the transverse angle member I6. Lifting arms I are secured to the rock shaft 5i! in alignment with each of the cultivator rigs 32, 33 and 34, and a link 52 connects the lifting arm 5I and the rigs I2. A spring 53 encircles each link 52 and is compressed against a collar 54 for serving as a pressing means for the respective rigs 32, 33 and 34 as Well known in the art.

The pressure operated lifting means I5 includes in the present instance a hydraulic cylinder 55 of any well known type generally associated with farm tractors and implements and has a cylindrical body 56 closed at one end by a head 51 and at the other end by a head 58, a plunger or piston and rod 59 slidable in the cylindrical body, uid or pressure hoses or conduits 6% and 6I opening into opposite ends of the cylindrical body and connected to the hydraulic pressure source of the tractor, and a limit stop 52. The cylinder is supported forwardly by means of a standard 63 which is secured between the members 24 and 25 and the bifurcated member 25 by means of bolt 28 and braced against rotative movement by means of a member 54 secured forwardly to the bifurcated member 26 by means of a bolt or the like B5. An opening 65 is formed in the standard and an opening 61 is formed in the head 51 of the cylinder for reception of a pin 68 when the openings are in alignment thereby supporting one end of the cylinder 55.

Rearwardly a standard 69 having substantially parallel members is secured by means of bolts L' or the like 1li8L to the forwardly extending members 24 and 25 adjacent the transverse member I5 and is braced by means of members 1I so as to position the standard substantially normal to the inclined plane of the frame I0, the members 1I being secured forwardly by means of bolt 21. A rocking beam 12 is pivotally carried between the members 10 by means of a pivot 13 for rocking substantially in a fore-and-aft direction and is prevented from moving axially on the pivot by means of spacer sleeves 14. One end of the rocking beam 12 is connectable to a clevis 15 on the piston rod 59 by means of a pin 16 and a lock pin or cotter 11. The other end of the rocking beam 12 is connected to a pivot 18, carried between parallel and adjacent lift arms 19, which are non-rotatably fixed to the rock shaft 50 by means of a suitable clamp Si! and bolts BI, by means of a link 82 so that upon actuation of the cylinder 55 the rocking beam 12 will be rocked in one direction for turning the rock shaft.

To more specifically describe the operation of the lifting means suppose that the tools are positioned for working the ground and that the operator desired to position the tools in transport position. The operator therefore by manipulation of well known hydraulic controls positionedon the tractor near the operators station increases the pressure forwardly of the piston by way of hose 50 and releases the pressure rearwardly of the piston by way of hose 6I so as to expand or extend the piston rod 59. Upon extension of the piston rod 59, the rocking beam 12 is rocked in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, which in turn pulls upon link 82 and consequently rocks the rock shaft 50 in a clockwise direction, for lifting the rigs I2 into a transport position. When it is desired to lower the cultivator rigs I2, the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder upon further manipulation of the hydraulic controls on the tractor is reduced in the front of the piston through hose Si! while the pressure in the rear of the piston is increased by pressure from the hose 6I thereby retracting the piston rod 59 into the cylindrical body 55. As the piston retracts, the rock shaft is forced in a counterclockwise direction by the weight of the cultivator rigs I2. This counterclockwise movement of the rock shaft is limited only by the resistance of the hydraulic cylinder exerted on the rocking beam 12. When the cultivator rigs are lowered so that the earth working tools rest upon the ground, the ground supports the weight of the rigs and the piston can be further retracted as already described, thereby moving the rocking beam 12 counterclockwise and forcing the tools into the earth the desired distance.

It will be apparent that an exceedingly convenient means has been provided for raising and lowering the cultivator rigs. Various well known hydraulic controls are contemplated as adaptable for the construction, some of which give accurate control of the position of the piston within the cylindrical portion 56. With such devices the depth of cultivating is readily controlled by merely manipulating the hydraulic controls on the tractor so as to hold the piston in the position necessary to maintain the cultivating depth. Other hydraulic systems operatel in such a manner as to move the piston to the limit of its travel in one direction or the other. This type of system is equally adaptable, an example being seen in Fig. 2.

The above mentioned limit stop 62 is slidable on a rod 84 fixed in relation to the head 53 and may be locked in various positions thereon by means of a pin 85 engaged therewith and with one or the other of holes 86 formed in the rod 84. Clevis 15, upon movement forwardly, will encounter stop 62 after predetermined movement, the amount of movement being determined by the position selected for stop G2. As will be apparent, various positions of stop 62 will result in various positions of rocking beam 12 when the clevis 15 is against the stop 62 and this will result in various positions of the tools with respect to the ground. Since the cultivating depth is dependent upon the position of the rock shaft and consequently upon the position of the rocking beam 12, any selected cultivating depth can be reached immediately by simply actuating the hydraulic mechanism to bring the clevis 'l5 against the stop 62 in whatever position has been selected for the latter. It will be appreciated that the cultivating depth will consequently always be the same and no attention need be paid the rigs I2 when lowering them into working position.

The latch means I4 is provided for mechanically holding the rigs I2 in raised ortranspcrtposition for permitting the removal of the hydraulie cylinder 55 for use on other applications about the frame as previously suggested. The

latch means includesgin the present j-instance, a; latch 9dpivctallysecured in the present in.- stance to: the pivot 13. adiacent: theA link. 82 for substantially fore-andraftswinging i movemeart (ses also Figs. 3' and' 4)'. Adjacent the other end of the latch 81 is pivotally secured by means of a bult. or other suitable means: 88?, a latch; stop 89 provided. with a. lip 9,9 for being, pressed or abutted against the rear 'transverse member I6 when the rigs I2 are held in transport position as'v will be explained presently. The latchy stop 89 is provided in the present instance with' a slot or slipwa-y 9|- which is accommodated by a bolt 92 secured to the latch 91' soy as to holdthe latch stopv longitudinally adjacent the latch 91.

During operation of the tiller, the latch stop 81 is swung rearwardly, dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to be out of the way or outof contactwith the rear transverse' frame member F6' when the' rigs f2 are raised or lowered' in normal use. If the operator decides tu place the. machine in storage or transport the machine with the cylinder 55 removed therefrom, he has merely to swing. the latch 81 forwardly so that the latch stop 89" is in frictional contact with the frame member I6, raise the rigs I2 until the lip 90 of the latch stop 89 falls into place with respect to the undersurface of the frame member IB, and then allow the rigs I2 to bias the rock shaft 50 counterclockwise until the lip 90 of the latch stop 89 comes in contact with the frame member I6. The force exerted by the Weight of the rigs I2 and their accompanying earth working tools tending to bias the rock shaft counterclockwise is suicient to retain the latch stop 89 pressed against the frame member I6 but not suicient to release or pivot the latch stop about the bolt 88 through the slot or slipway 9| from the bolt 92. With the rock shaft held thus against rotation, the hydraulic cylinder can be removed and the tiller transported or placed in storage. To place the tiller into an operative condition requires merely that the cylinder 55 be secured betweenthe rocking beam 12 and the standard 63 as previously described. The cylinder should then be expandedso as to rotate the rock shaft sufficiently in a clockwise direction to release the tension exerted on the latch stop 89. The latch 81 is then swung rearwardly so as to be out of the way of the frame member I6 during subsequent movement of the rigs I2. If the operator attempts to lower the rigs I2 immediately without first releasing the tension eX- erted on the latch stop 89 and then swinging the latch 81 rearwardly, the latch stop 89 will release through the slipway 9| from the latch 81 and the bolt 92 so as to be pivoted downwardly and consequently be released from the member I6 without any damage being done, the force exerted by the cylinder 55 plus the force exerted by the weight of the cultivator rigs I2 tending to bias the rock shaft 50 counterclockwise being sufficient to overcome the force exerted by the bolt 92 tending to prevent pivotal movement of the latch stop 89 about bolt 88.

For permitting the hydraulic cylinder 55 to be connected between the rocking beam 12 and the standard 63 in an extended, partially extended, or fully retracted condition, the link 82 is formed, in the present instance of members 93 and 94 pivotally connected by means of a bolt or other suitable means 95 and held in rigid longitudinal alignment by means of a removable pin or the like 96 it being recognized that the relationship between the members 93 and 94 is that of a toggle-joint. The member 94 in the upon removal the pins 9&abuts. against the member 93: foilV preyenting; downward buckling o the'-memhers. 93. and; 94 *while permitting the members 93; and 94; tof buckle upwardly so that` the member 9L can be swung; in a clockwise directionn Fig; 2. In operation the. cylinder' 55 i'sJcon.-A nected to the standard 63 by means of' pin 68 a manner already described. The operator then by' supporting the cylinderY 55 with. one hand can remove: the196 with his other band. and swing the member 941 in a. clockwise direction about the bolt 95 sac to buckle the membersA 93- and 94 upwardly.. Swinging movement ofthe member 9.4

in a clockwise direction will initiate .swinging fr extended, orV fully extendeda With the rocking bea-m thus.. free to swing in a` eounterclockwise direction the operator therefore. swings the rockingj beam. sufficientlyto allow the pin 19 to secure the: @levis 15 thereto. Thenupon extension of the rod 59 by means of the hydraulic controls on the tractor in a manner as already described, the rocking beam 12 is swung in a clockwise direction which in turn moves the member 94 in a counterclockwise direction so as to buckle the togglejoint downwardly, until the stop 91 abuts against the member 93. With the members 93 and 94 thereby in longitudinal alignment, the pin 96 can be reinserted and the member 94 is in locked longitudinal relationship with respect to member 93.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In an implement having a main frame supported for movement and adapted to be drawn by a propelling means, a rock shaft rotatably carried by said main frame, cultivating rigs pivotally secured to the frame and connected with said rock shaft for upward movement when said rock shaft is rotated in one direction, a lift arm on said rock shaft, a rocking beam for rotation about an axis substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the implement, a pressure operated cylinder removably pivoted to said implement in actuating relationship to one end of said rocking beam, a toggle joint having one member pivotally connected to said lift arm and the other member pivotally connected to the other end of said rocking beam, a stop on one of said members for preventing buckling of said toggle joint in one position, and removable means for locking said members in such position.

2. In an implement having a main frame supported for movement and adapted to be drawn by a propelling means, a rock shaft rotatably carried by said main frame, cultivating rigs pivotally secured to the frame and connected with said rock shaft for upward movement when said rock shaft is rotated in one direction, a lift arm on said rock shaft, a rocking beam for rotation about an axis substantially transverse to the direction of travelof the implement, a pressure operated cylinder removably pivoted to said implement and in actuating relationship to one end of said rocking beam, a toggle-joint having one member pivotally connected to said lift arm and the other member pivotally connected to the other end of said rocking beam, a stop on one of said members for preventing buckling of said togglejoint in one direction when the members are in substantially longitudinal alignment, and removable means for locking said members in longitudinal alignment.

3. In an implement having a main frame supported for movement and adapted to be drawn by propelling mea-ns, a rock shaft rotatably carried by said main frame, tool supporting rigs connected to the frame and to the rock shaft for upward movement when said rock shaft is rotated in one direction, a lift arm on said rock shaft, a rocking beam for rotation about an a-Xis substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the implement, a hydraulic cylinder removably pivoted to said implement and in actuating relationship to one end of said rocking beam, a toggle-joint having one member pivotally connected to said lift arm and the other member pivotally connected to the end of said rocking beam, a stop on said other member for preventing 8 buckling of said toggle-joint downwardly when the members are in substantially longitudinal alignment, and a removable pin for locking said members in longitudinal alignment.

JOHN M. MARKEL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,755,808 Brown Apr. 22, 1930 1,846,457 Robinson Feb. 23, 1932 2,319,458 Hornish May 18, 1943 2,319,492 Dewey May 18, 1943 2,324,840 Hipple July 20, 1943 2,332,741 Mott Oct. 26, 1943 2,458,091 Moore Jan. 4, 1949 2,532,577 Silver et al. Dec. 5, 1950 2,580,100 Johansen et al Dec. 25, 1951 2,605,686 Starr Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 30,088 Sweden Jan. 7, 1911 

